Packer



Juvly ll; 1939. F. A. THAHELD 2,165,687

PACKER Filed April 27, 195e 26 of the packing Velement may be materially reextreme upper end of the bore of the shell I4 is ne '45 Figure 3 is arpartial transverse vertical seclined between the cone and cap. When the pack-'45- Patented July 1.1, 1939 I I Y UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE PACKED reri- A. muela, nous, Tex., einer to rire Guiberson Corporation, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Delaware Application` April 27, l936,- Serial No. 76,638 4 Claims. (Cl. 16S-12) This invention relates to new andvuseful iinthe mandrel has the usual coupling collar I3 provements in packers. v screwed thereon and thus, it will be seen that the One object of the -invention is to provide an -mandrelmayreadily'be connectedinan ordinary improved well packer which may be readily lowstring of tubing.4 Y y' ered into the well casing and set at any desired An elongate sleeve or shell Il surrounds the 5 point therein. t mandrel IU and extends substantially the entire l An important object of the invention is to pro' V- vertical length thereof. The bore of the sleeve or vide an improved well packer including van elastic shell has a diameter which is greater than the vpacking element which is confined at its ends, eixtelnaly diameter of the mandrel, whereby an with means for reinforcing the extremity of the annular space or passage Il* is formed between 10 packing element, whereby the element will not the mandrel and shell. The lower end of the now around its coniining memberl when disshell is threaded toreceive a collar I5 and this torted, thereby eliminating shearing of! of' the collar is provided with internal slots I6, which extremity of the packing member. are arranged to receive keys I1 formed on the 1l Another object of the invention is to provide outer surface ofthe mandrel, whereby rotation ll an improved packer including a supporthavin'g an of the mandrel will impart a rotation to the shell.

elastic packing element thereon, with means em- The lower end of the collar I5-rests on a support bedded inthe up'per end of the element for reinor recovery ring I8 which is preferably welded on forcing thev same so as to positively fasten the the mandrel just above the lower end thereof element toits support and prevent it from pulling (Figure 2). Thus, it will be seen that the shell gg away .from the same when under pressure. u iS Supported 0I! the ring Whihrin turn; -S 4 A further object of the invention is to providev fastened to the mandrel. With this arrangement, an improved packer having an elastic packing elewhen the mandrel I0 is lowered within a well ment which is so reinforced that'the thickness casing A'lhe ShellWillbelOWel'ed therewith The'.

duced, whereby the annular space between the bevelled as shown at I! whereby a valve seat arelement and the. well casing is increased, which ranged t0 receive the Valvel |,1S formed- 151s provides a greater by-pass for fluid as the device obvious that when the valve II engages Ythe Seat, islowered, yand also reduces the amount of -maj the annular-"119559.86 Il' iS Cl0Sd terial necessary in the construction of the ele- The Upper end-0f theshell 1S fmd with an 80 ment. y e annular cap 2,0 which is preferably made integral A construction designed to carry out the intherewith. and this cap isvprovided with an inter' `vennen win be hereinafter described, together nel annuler recess 2l- A cone Il Surrounds the. with other features of the invention. shell Il and is supportedron an external annular l The invention Will be m0re readily understood shoulder 2|' which is formed on theputer surface a5 i from e reading of the following speeinoation and of said shell.V It is noted that'the conci!! mar l by reference to` the accompanying drawing, in be slid upwardly on the shell but. its 'downward which an example of the invention is shown, and movement thereon is prevented by the shoulder. Y wherein y I v An .annular elastlcrpacking element or sleeve 22 Figure 1 is-a transverse, vertical, sectional view surrounds the mandrel between the cap 20 and 40 of the upper portion of a packer constructed in the cone 2l. The upper end of `this element eny accordance with the invention, gages in the recess Il' in the cap while the lower Figure 2 is a view, similar to Figure 1, and end thereof engagesin asimilar recess 23 formed showing the lower end of the packer, in the cone, whereby said packing element is contional View, showing the packer in its set position, ing element is in its normal. position, the cone II and x l is resting on the shoulder 2| and the outer surf' Figure 4 is a perspective view of the reinforcing face of the packing element is in alignment with buhirl-` Y the outer surface of the cap and cone, as is clearly o In the drawing, the numeral I0 designates an shown in Figure 1. g L

:elongate tubular mandrel having Aan 'annular With the above construction it willrbe obvious valve II- threaded on its .upper end. AThe 'valve that when the cone 2'I is held stationary and ther is preferably made integral with an ordinary iishshell or sleeve Il is moved downwardly, the cap ing neck I2 and this neck is arranged'to be con- 2l will distort the packing element 22 into ennected in the tubing string.' The lower end of sagement withv the wail of the casingA. Suitable 5a means may be employed for locking with the casing wall so as to make the same stationary, butI prefer to employ slips 24 which are slidably mounted on the cone. Each slip is carried by a resilient bar 2i which has its lower end secured to the lower end of a cage 24. The v.cage is' slidably mounted on the shell I4 and is provided with a hook 21 which Inormally engages a gudgeon 2l which is made integral with and'extends outwardly from the shell. One side of the hook -2'I is open and by observing Figure 1 it will be seen that normally the cage is fastened to and moveswith the shell I4. position, the slips 24 are heldat the lower end of the cone 2| and are out of engagement with the wall of the casing A. 'Ihe 'pper ends of friction springs 29 are secured to the upper end of the cage26, while the lower end of these springs are fastened to a collar'or ring 2l which is slidable on the mandrel III. It is noted that the collar 3l is at a point below the recovery ring Il on which the shell I4 is supported.

It is obviqus that when it is desired to set the packer, it is merely necessary to rotate the mandrel I0 whichwill rotate'the shell I4 through the keys I1 and slots I4 so that the gudg'ecn 2l is `moved out of engagement with the hooks 21.

As soon as this occurs, a downward movement of the mandrel will cause the valve II to engage the valve seat I9 at the upper end of the shell so as to close the annular passage I 4'. Continued downwardv movement of the mandrel I I will then cause the shell I4 to move downwardly so that the cap 2l will exert a pressure against .the packing element 22. During this time the cage 2l has been held stationary by the friction springs 2l and the slips 24 have been caused to ride upwardly on the cone 2|, 'whereby said slips are expanded into engagement with the wall of the casing A. Therefore, the slips will hold the cone 2| stationary and the cap 2l upon the packing element 22 will distort said packing element into engagement with the wall of the well casing. It is noted that the parts which have been described above are all of the usual construction and are, therefore, subject to variation.

It hasl been found that in packers of this type. the upper end of the packing element 22 has a tendency to iiow upwardly around the outer edge of the cap 2l.' When this occurs and the packer is raised, that portion of the packing element whichhas been distorted around the lower outer edge of the cap is sheared olf cr torn by contact with the interior coupling of the well casing.

l Also, it has-been found that although the packing element 22 -is molded to the shell I4, the constant pressure when said packer is packedtends to press the packing element away from the shell. In order to'overcome the disengagement of the packing element from the shell, it has been the usual practice to form the packing element'of a sufficient thickness or width so that its movement into engagement with the casing wall need only very slight. When this is done the bypass space for 'the fluid between the surface of the packing element ing A is very small. Reduction of this by-pass space causes the packer to lower very slowly through the welluid in the casing and, therefore,- it is advantageous thatthis space be as large as possible.

'To overcome thev above objections and disadvantages, an annular reinforcing bushing II is molded into the upper end ci' the packing ele- When in this a downward pressure of -said element and the inner wall and the interior of the casthe cone 2| ment 22.

The bushing is preferably constructed of metal or other suitable material and includes a collar or ring I2 at its upper end. The lower end of the bushing is provided with an outwardly ared skirt 23 which is preferably made integral therewith. The collar is `formed with internal screw-threads whereby the bushing may be threaded on the upper end of the shell I4 just below the cap 24. By observing Figure 1, it will be seen that lthe bushing is located sol that the collar 32 is positioned within the annular recess 2l in the cap. 'Ihe threads form a positive fastening means between the4 bushing and the shell. The ilared skirt -32 of the bushing extends outwardly and is, of course, molded within the upper end of the packing element 22.

It will be seen that when the packer is set and the packing element 22 distorted, the metallic bushing 3| will positively reinforce the upper end of said packing element and will prevent the same from flowing upwardly around the lower outer edges of the cap 2l. This is true because the metallic bushing is positively fastened to the shell I4 and cannot be distorted. 'The bushing not only prevents this upward ow of the packing element, but. will also, upon distortion of said element, .prevent the inner periphery of the packing element from moving away from the shell I4. Therefore, it will eliminate the danger of the packing element being separated from its support. Although only one bushing has been shown inthe upper end of the packing element 22, it is obvious that a similar bushing could be mounted within the recess 23 in the cone 2| whereby the lower .end of the packing element would be similarly reinforced. It is also pointed out that although the bushing 3| is shown as threaded upon the shell I4, any suitable means of fastening said bushing to said shell may be employed, as, for instance, the collar I2 may be engaged between shoulders formed on the outer surface of the shell. It would be possible also to rivet or otherwisel secure said bushing to the shell.

The provision of the bushing II also reinforces the'packing element and permits the same to be made narrower in width on thickness. Thus, since it is-not necessary to employ a comparatively thick packing element, it is possible to enlarge the annular space between the outer surface of of the casing A,

whereby the by-pass space for the fluid may be I greatly enlarged. This increase of the by-pass permits more rapid loweringcf the packer into the well casing.

Patent is:

1. A well packer including, a support, an elastic packing element mounted on said support,'

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters` secured to` saidsupport for preventing upward flowing Aof the element when the same is distorted.v

'2. -A well packer including, a support, an elastic packing element onsaid support, means for distorting t'hepacking element into its packing position, and an annular metallic bushing secured to' the support and having an annular flared skit molded within the packing element for preventing upward ilowing of the element when the same is distorted.

34A well packer including, a support, an elastic packing' element on said support, means for mendigos? v distorting the packing element into itsv position, and an annular metallic bushing threaded on the support adjacent .the upper end of the packing element and having an annular. ared A skirt niolded within theu'pper end of said element Y for preventing upward ilnwing vof the element packing element surrounding said-support, an.

when the' same is distorted, said ilared skirt also serving to prevent separation of the packing element from the support. Y

4. A well packer including, aV support, an elastic annular cap engaging the upper end of the element, an annular coniining member engaging the lower end of vsaid element whereby theelement is conned between the cap and said member, 'means for holding the lower confining member stationary, means for moving the cap downwardly to distort the packing element, and a metallic annular reinforcing bushing secured to the support just below the cap and having an annular skirt molded Withm the packing element for preventing upward flowing of the element when the l0 -same is distorted.

vnaar A. THAHEID. 

